Thinking about buying a rotating car seat because you have heard it provides extra safety and comfort? Well, let’s talk about that.
Before buying a rotating car seat or any other car seat you must consider many factors including safety.
Yes, rotating car seats are a safe option for your little ones. But why not buy a regular car seat instead?
That’s what we will discuss here. Keep reading!
Our Top Pick for Rotating Car Seat
What are rotating car seats?
Rotating car seats also known as swivel car seats are safety car seats that can rotate. There are two types:
- 180-rotating car seats that can rotate 180 degrees only.
- 360-rotating car seats that can rotate 360 degrees offer more flexibility.
The rotating feature that these car seats offer makes using a car seat a lot easier. Parents can swivel the car seat to buckle the child in the car seat easily.
Also, when it’s time for toddlers to forward-face, parents won’t struggle with the installation of a convertible car seat. They will just swivel the seat to a forward face position.
These types of seats give both parents and children more flexibility in the car seat.
Are rotating car seats safe for my child?
When it comes to safety, like any other car seat on the market, rotating car seats follow strict safety regulations and go through rigorous testing before being released to the market.
So, if you think of buying a rotating car seat, be sure that it is as safe as any other car seat out there.
However, one important thing to note is that there is no data suggesting that rotating car seats provide extra safety for your child.
Some rotating car seats advertise additional safety features and sensors that may be beneficial to use but there is no official research nor data to back up these extra safety features.
Related: 5 best rotating car seats reviewed
Advantages of using a rotating car seat
Now that we settled the issue of rotating car seat safety let’s talk about why you will need to buy one.
Well, rotating car seats can make your parenting life a little bit easier.
These are some of the advantages that rotating car seats offer:
1. A Rotating car seat makes buckling up your child super easy
A rotating car seat makes getting your child in and out of the car seat an easy task.
You won’t have to awkwardly bend over the car seat to fit your child in it especially when rear-facing.
All you have to do is rotate the car seat to face the car door, put the child in, buckle up and rotate the seat again to its position.
This allows parents to rear face longer and make road trips with a child less of a hassle.
2. Rotating car seats save you from the nightmare of car seat installation
Unlike traditional convertible car seats, rotating car seats will be installed in your car only once.
If you opt for a 360-rotating car seat, it’s really easy to make the switch from rear-facing to forward-facing.
All it takes is a small touch of a button to rotate the car seat.
The cool feature saves a lot of time and energy and is most probably a trip to a safety car seat technician.
3. Rotating car seats can also last very long
In terms of weight capacity, 360 rotating car seats can be a good investment if you are looking for a long-lasting car seat.
For example, the Sirona S car seat 360 rotating car seat can carry a child in rear-facing mode up to 50 lb and forward-facing mode up to 65 lb.
The Evenflo Gold Revolve 360 is an all-in-one car seat as it goes up to booster stage with 120lb.
This means, in addition to making your parenting life easier, a rotating car seat grows with your child to save you a second car seat purchase.
What to look for when buying a rotating car seat
When buying a swivel car seat, decide whether you want a 180-degree rotating one or a full 360 car seat.
360-rotating car seats can be a better investment since they offer more flexibility and less work with the installation.
However, 360 swivel car seats are more expensive than 180 rotating car seats.
Weight capacity is another important thing to consider, choose a rotating car seat that can last for as long as possible.
The Sirona S car seat is one of them but there are many more.
Size also matters especially when you own a small car like a Jeep Wrangler or a cab truck. Not all car seats will fit in your back seat.
Check out our car seat guides by vehicle here.
Rotating car seats tend to take up more space than regular car seats, this is why you should pay attention to the size and do a fit check before you buy it.
The Bottom Line
Swivel or rotating car seats are super safe to use. They are however a little bit more expensive and big in size.
If you have a big car and can afford the handy feature the seat offer, go for it because it really makes a difference.
I listed 3 rotating car seats that are tested and recommended by experienced parents, so if you are thinking of buying one, start with these 3 options.
